Stop culture of single-use plastic bags

In recent years, there has been a rise in the number of plastic bags used.

Figures from a report by the Waste and Resources Action Programme show over eight billion plastic bags were used last year by shoppers at British supermarkets.

Figures show that the use of plastic carrier bags increased by 3.2 per cent last year, compared to 2012.

For too long plastic carrier bags have been blowing around our streets.

These figures and the fact that our towns’ streets can be littered with plastic bags, shows that across the country, a huge number of plastic bags are being wasted through ‘single-use’.

Central government needs to do something to curb the visual pollution of these bags on our streets.

Society needs to encourage the re-use of plastic bags, preventing unnecessary damage to the environment and radically cut down on the number of plastic bags that are an eyesore in towns, countryside and hedges – but also our seas and beaches.

The Queen’s speech in June confirmed that from October next year, a 5p charge on all single-use plastic bags will be introduced.

The single-use carrier bags culture needs to end before too much unnecessary damage is caused to our environment.

The Coalition Government introducing a charge on all single use bags seems to be the only way to quickly nip the culture in the bud.

Ensuring that there is a sustainable environment for our future generations is something that we should all strive to achieve.